burlesques-第73章

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reign　of　Stanislaus　Augustus；　had；　with　his　naked　fist；　beaten　a

lion　to　death　in　three　minutes；　and　alone　had　kept　the　postern　of

Peterwaradin　for　two　hours　against　seven　hundred　Turkish　janissaries；

who　were　assailing　it。　　Those　deeds　which　had　made　the　heir　of

Cleves　famous　were　done　thirty　years　syne。　　A　free　liver　since　he

had　come　into　his　principality；　and　of　a　lazy　turn；　he　had　neglected

the　athletic　exercises　which　had　made　him　in　youth　so　famous　a

champion；　and　indolence　had　borne　its　usual　fruits。　　He　tried　his

old　battle…swordthat　famous　blade　with　which；　in　Palestine；　he　had

cut　an　elephant…driver　in　two　pieces；　and　split　asunder　the　skull　of

the　elephant　which　he　rode。　　Adolf　of　Cleves　could　scarcely　now　lift

the　weapon　over　his　head。　　He　tried　his　armor。　　It　was　too　tight　for

him。　　And　the　old　soldier　burst　into　tears；　when　he　found　he　could

not　buckle　it。　　Such　a　man　was　not　fit　to　encounter　the　terrible

Rowski　in　single　combat。



Nor　could　he　hope　to　make　head　against　him　for　any　time　in　the

field。　　The　Prince's　territories　were　small；　his　vassals

proverbially　lazy　and　peaceable；　his　treasury　empty。　　The

dismallest　prospects　were　before　him：　and　he　passed　a　sleepless

night　writing　to　his　friends　for　succor；　and　calculating　with　his

secretary　the　small　amount　of　the　resources　which　he　could　bring　to

aid　him　against　his　advancing　and　powerful　enemy。



Helen's　pillow　that　evening　was　also　unvisited　by　slumber。　　She　lay

awake　thinking　of　Otto；thinking　of　the　danger　and　the　ruin　her

refusal　to　marry　had　brought　upon　her　dear　papa。　　Otto；　too；　slept

not：　but　HIS　waking　thoughts　were　brilliant　and　heroic：　the　noble

Childe　thought　how　he　should　defend　the　Princess；　and　win　LOS　and

honor　in　the　ensuing　combat。





CHAPTER　XII。



THE　CHAMPION。





And　now　the　noble　Cleves　began　in　good　earnest　to　prepare　his

castle　for　the　threatened　siege。　　He　gathered　in　all　the　available

cattle　round　the　property；　and　the　pigs　round　many　miles；　and　a

dreadful　slaughter　of　horned　and　snouted　animals　took　place；the

whole　castle　resounding　with　the　lowing　of　the　oxen　and　the　squeaks

of　the　gruntlings；　destined　to　provide　food　for　the　garrison。

These；　when　slain；　（her　gentle　spirit；　of　course；　would　not　allow

of　her　witnessing　that　disagreeable　operation；）　the　lovely　Helen；

with　the　assistance　of　her　maidens；　carefully　salted　and　pickled。

Corn　was　brought　in　in　great　quantities；　the　Prince　paying　for　the

same　when　he　had　money；　giving　bills　when　he　could　get　credit；　or

occasionally；　marry；　sending　out　a　few　stout　men…at…arms　to　forage；

who　brought　in　wheat　without　money　or　credit　either。　　The　charming

Princess；　amidst　the　intervals　of　her　labors；　went　about

encouraging　the　garrison；　who　vowed　to　a　man　they　would　die　for　a

single　sweet　smile　of　hers；　and　in　order　to　make　their　inevitable

sufferings　as　easy　as　possible　to　the　gallant　fellows；　she　and　the

apothecaries　got　ready　a　plenty　of　efficacious　simples；　and　scraped

a　vast　quantity　of　lint　to　bind　their　warriors'　wounds　withal。　　All

the　fortifications　were　strengthened；　the　fosses　carefully　filled

with　spikes　and　water；　large　stones　placed　over　the　gates；

convenient　to　tumble　on　the　heads　of　the　assaulting　parties；　and

caldrons　prepared；　with　furnaces　to　melt　up　pitch；　brimstone；

boiling　oil；　&c。；　wherewith　hospitably　to　receive　them。　　Having　the

keenest　eye　in　the　whole　garrison；　young　Otto　was　placed　on　the

topmost　tower；　to　watch　for　the　expected　coming　of　the　beleaguering

host。



They　were　seen　only　too　soon。　　Long　ranks　of　shining　spears　were

seen　glittering　in　the　distance；　and　the　army　of　the　Rowski　soon

made　its　appearance　in　battle's　magnificently　stern　array。　　The

tents　of　the　renowned　chief　and　his　numerous　warriors　were　pitched

out　of　arrow…shot　of　the　castle；　but　in　fearful　proximity；　and　when

his　army　had　taken　up　its　position；　an　officer　with　a　flag　of　truce

and　a　trumpet　was　seen　advancing　to　the　castle　gate。　　It　was　the

same　herald　who　had　previously　borne　his　master's　defiance　to　the

Prince　of　Cleves。　　He　came　once　more　to　the　castle　gate；　and　there

proclaimed　that　the　noble　Count　of　Eulenschreckenstein　was　in　arms

without；　ready　to　do　battle　with　the　Prince　of　Cleves；　or　his

champion；　that　he　would　remain　in　arms　for　three　days；　ready　for

combat。　　If　no　man　met　him　at　the　end　of　that　period；　he　would

deliver　an　assault；　and　would　give　quarter　to　no　single　soul　in　the

garrison。　　So　saying；　the　herald　nailed　his　lord's　gauntlet　on　the

castle　gate。　　As　before；　the　Prince　flung　him　over　another　glove

from　the　wall；　though　how　he　was　to　defend　himself　from　such　a

warrior；　or　get　a　champion；　or　resist　the　pitiless　assault　that

must　follow；　the　troubled　old　nobleman　knew　not　in　the　least。



The　Princess　Helen　passed　the　night　in　the　chapel；　vowing　tons　of

wax…candles　to　all　the　patron　saints　of　the　House　of　Cleves；　if

they　would　raise　her　up　a　defender。



But　how　did　the　noble　girl's　heart　sinkhow　were　her　notions　of

the　purity　of　man　shaken　within　her　gentle　bosom；　by　the　dread

intelligence　which　reached　her　the　next　morning；　after　the　defiance

of　the　Rowski！　　At　roll…call　it　was　discovered　that　he　on　whom　she

principally　reliedhe　whom　her　fond　heart　had　singled　out　as　her

champion；　had　proved　faithless！　　Otto；　the　degenerate　Otto；　had

fled！　　His　comrade；　Wolfgang；　had　gone　with　him。　　A　rope　was　found

dangling　from　the　casement　of　their　chamber；　and　they　must　have

swum　the　moat　and　passed　over　to　the　enemy　in　the　darkness　of　the

previous　night。　　〃A　pretty　lad　was　this　fair…spoken　archer　of

thine！〃　said　the　Prince　her　father　to　her；　〃and　a　pretty　kettle　of

fish　hast　thou　cooked　for　the　fondest　of　fathers。〃　　She　retired

weeping　to　her　apartment。　　Never　before　had　that　young　heart　felt

so　wretched。



That　morning；　at　nine　o'clock；　as　they　were　going　to　breakfast；　the

Rowski's　trumpets　sounded。　　Clad　in　complete　armor；　and　mounted　on

his　enormous　piebald　charger；　he　came　out　of　his　pavilion；　and　rode

slowly　up　and　down　in　front　of　the　castle。　　He　was　ready　there　to

meet　a　champion。



Three　times　each　day　did　the　odious　trumpet　sound　the　same　notes　of

defiance。　　Thrice　daily　did　the　steel…clad　Rowski　come　forth

challenging　the　combat。　　The　first　day　passed；　and　there　was　no

answer　to　his　summons。　　The　second　day　came　and　went；　but　no

champion　had　risen　to　defend。　　The　taunt　of　his　shrill　clarion

remained　without　answer；　and　the　sun　went　down　upon　the　wretchedest

father　and　daughter　in　all　the　land　of　Christendom。



The　trumpets　sounded　an　hour　after　sunrise；　an　hour　after　noon；　and

an　hour　before　sunset。　　The　third　day　came；　but　with　it　brought　no

hope。　　The　first　and　second　summons　met　no　response。　　At　five

o'clock　the　old　Prince　called　his　daughter　and　blessed　her。　　〃I　go

to　meet　this　Rowski；〃　said　he。　　〃It　may　be　we　shall　meet　no　more；

my　Helenmy　childthe　innocent　cause　of　all　this　grief。　　If　I

shall　fall　to…night　the　Rowski's　victim；　'twill　be　that　life　is

nothing　without　honor。〃　　And　so　saying；　he　put　into　her　hands　a

dagger；　and　bade　her　sheathe　it　in　her　own　breast　so　soon　as　the

terrible　champion　had　carried　the　castle　by　storm。



This　Helen　most　faithfully　promised　to　do；　and　her　aged　father

retired　to　his　armory；　and　donned　his　ancient　war…worn　corselet。

It　had　borne　the　shock　of　a　thousand　lances　ere　this；　but　it　was

now　so　tight　as　almost　to　choke　the　knightly　wearer。



The　last　trumpet　soundedtantara！　tantara！its　shrill　call　rang

over　the　wide　plains；　and　the　wide　plains　gave　back　no　answer。

Again！but　when　its　notes　died　away；　there　was　only　a　mournful；　an

awful　silence。　　〃Farewell；　my　child；〃　said　the　Prince；　bulkily

lifting　himself　into　his　battle…saddle。　　〃Remember　the　dagger。

Hark！　the　trumpet　sounds　for　the　third　time。　　Open；　warders！

Sound；　trumpeters！　and　good　St。　Bendigo　guard　the　right。〃



But　Puffendorff；　the　trumpeter；　had　not　leisure　to　lift　the　trumpet